Process and apparatus for producing light hydrocarbons



Oct. 22, 1935. G. N. HARcoURT 2,017,860

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING LIGHT 'HYDROCARBONS Filed May 7, 1925 L @NSN Eil...- Z... if.. a

/l A ORNEY.

. grammaticallyv shown at 4.

Patented oct. 22, 193s UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING LIGHT HYDROCARBONS .Application May 7, 1925, serial No. 28,640

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a process andapparatus for producing light hydrocarbons and refers more particularly to a process in which the nal overhead hydrocarbon products or hydrocarbon fractions discharged from the dephlegmating stage are of a character determined and controlled to permit substantially only thoseA fractions desirable in the final product to pass through a. purifying or refining stage.

Among the salient objects of theinvention are, to provide a process which may consist of either a cracking system in which the hydrocarbons are subjected to conditions of high temperature and pressure to promote conversion, or to a process of atmospheric distillation in which the va.- pors are driven ol' from the oil body without any appreciable cracking reaction; to provide a process in which the vapors from systems of cracking or atmospheric distillation are subjected to a dephlegmating action in a reuxing tower the vapors discharged therefrom being regulated or controlled as to their end point temperature by the introduction of a distillate or condensate having substantially the characteristic of the material discharged from the tower;

to provide a process in which this recycled condensate or distillate is formed by partially condensing a portion of the vapors passing off from the top of the tower and returning the same to be introduced in liquid form to comingle in intimate contact with the vapors in the upper portion of the dephlegmating element; to provide .a process by means of which substantially only those vaporous fractions recovered as the final product or final distillate are subjected to the refining action in a purifying stage wherein the vapors are treated continuously.

The single figure is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the apparatus with parts in section and parts broken away.

Referring to the drawing, at I is shown a furnace in which are mounted the preheating coils 2 and the heating coils 3. The furnace is preferably heated byA means of gas burners dia- 5 is a reaction chamber connected to the discharge from -the heating coil through a. transfer line 6. I is an evaporating tower connected to -the transfer lines 8 and 9 between which is interposed a reboiling element I0 positioned inthe bottom of the refluxing or dephlegmating tower II designated in the drawing vas a bubble tower to characterize the construction of the particular unit. The evaporator is connected by the vapor une l2 to the bubble tower, while the bubbIe tower in turn has a vapor line connection I3 -With the purifying tower I4. Numeral I5 indi- `cates a cooler for residue from evaporator 1.

' ing that portion of the system between the bubble tower and the purifying tower and consisting of a. condenser I6 for condensing a portion of the vapors passing off through the line l5 I3 and aV pump 22 for returning this condensed liquid back into the top of the tower and. thermostatic control for the pump hereinafter explained is positioned in a cracking system practiced by the Gasoline Products Company, licen- 20 sors of the Cross cracking system. No claim is made to any details in the purifying tower, which invention is a subject matter of a separate application Serial No. 19,856, filed April 1st, 1925, in the name of Roy Cross. This application has 25 matured into Patent No. 1,882,000 dated October 11, 1932. It will be noted that the invention is as applicable to any cracking system or to any atmospheric distillation system to which is attached a purifying stage and where it is an advantage to limit the refining treatment to substantially only those hydrocarbon fractionsA which are to constitute the materials contained in the final product or final distillate.

' The charging stock, which may consist of any 35 suitable cracking stock, including kerosene distillate, gas oil, fuel-oil or derivatives thereof,vis introduced to the system from vany convenientA source through the inlet pipe 23,.` This charging oil passes thence through the line 24 to the pump 40 25 from which it is discharged through the line 26 into the preheatingl coil 2 i thence through the heating coil 3, being discharged in a highly heated condition into the reaction chamber 5. In -this particular type of system,'the oil, while 45 being heated and while undergoing digestion or cracking in .the reaction stage, is .maintained under pressures in excess of 500 pounds per square inch toprevent, insofar as it is possible, vaporization of the hydrocarbons. The velocity of the oils through the heating coils, together. with `the temperatures to which the tubes are subjected, is goyer'ned to prevent carbonization or deposition and accumulation of carbonaceous material in the tubes whileat the same time Chamber.

transmitting suiiicient heat tothe oil to furnish the proper degree of cracking in the reaction The oil, on being discharged from the reaction stage, passes through the line 26 into the transfer line 8, thence through the reboiling element I0 and line 9 into the evaporator, or, by closing the valve 21 and valve 28 and opening the valves 29 and 30, the cracked material may be bypassed around the reboiling element I0 and introduced directly into the evaporator 1 from the reaction chamber. In any event, the pressure is reduced on its discharge from the reaction chamber by means of either the valve 29 or 30 in the bypass line 3l lor by one of the valves 21 or 28 in the lines 8 and 9, respectively, according to whichever transfer line maybe in use.

On introduction to the evaporator, the lighter or lower boiling point fractions distill off passing overhead through the line I 2 into the bubble tower II where the vapors rise in an opposed direction to the liquid material in the tower separated from the vapors as they gradually cool upon nearing the upper part of the tower. The unvaporized material is withdrawn from the bottom of the evaporator into the cooler I5 and is thence directed to fuel oil storage. The uncondensed vapors pass off through the line I3 regulated by a valve 32 and may be directed immediately through the line 33 controlled by the valves 34 and 35 to the condenser I1, thence to thegas separator I8 through a connecting line 36 or by closing the valves 34 and 35 the vapors are directed through the line 31 which is connected to the purifying tower I4.

As previously mentioned, the purifying tower is similar in construction to that explained in' detail in the application in the name of Roy Cross, Serial No. 19,856, filed April 1st, 1925. The vapors pass up through the tower while an adsorbent treating material is continuously fed from a hopper 38 by means of a screw conveyor 39 into the top of the towerand is discharged from the bottom of the tower by means of a second screw conveyor 40. 'I'he treating material consists of highly adsorptive material such hydrous aluminum silicate.

. the typical form of which is known commercially as bentonite, or other similar adsorptive clays, including fullers earth, or other organic .or inorganic material capable of deodorizing, decolorizing and desulphurizing vaporous hydrocarbons. Condensates separated out during treatment are n collected from secondary lines into the downcomer -pipe 4I and standpipe 42 from which they may be withdrawn continuously or intermittently through the line 43 regulated by a valve 44.- The uncondensed vapors are withdrawn through the vapor line 60, controlled by valve 8 I, and thence through the condenser I1. Steam may be supplied to the These vapors passing into the condenser are drawn off as distillate through the pipe 48 into an accumulator or surge tank 49. This surge tank is equipped with a discharge line 50 connected with the suction side of the pump 22 and with an auxiliary drawoif and cleanout pipe 5I controlled by a valve 52. 'I'he accumulator 49 may also be provided with a conventional vent 5I for removing uncondens'ed gases. The discharge from 'the lpump 22 is directed through the line 53 and 1S introduced into the top of the tower in the form of a spray diagrammatically shown at 54. In the top of the tower is also positioned a thermostat orthermocouple 55 having electric conn'ections 58 to the motor 51 which drives the pump 22. 5

The details of the thermo control, utilized to regulate the speed of the motor and the amount of material returned to the top of the tower, forms no part of the present invention, but is preferably passing overhead through the vapor line I3 is shunted out through the condenser I6, condensed, and the condensate is immediately charged back 0 into the top of the tower where it is redistilled and serves as a control medium for preventing any considerable variance in the temperatures existing in the top of the tower. It has been found in actual practice that a variance of from 2 to 5 are maximum under ordinary operation when a. control device of the character is interposed in a vapor line between the dephlegmating tower and the purifying stage. By limiting the hydrocarbons passing through the purifying stage to substantially those fractions recovered as a final end point distillate there are eliminated a multitude of fractions which would normally pass to the purifying tower with the gases and vapors and would there be separated outin the form of con- .densa-ate, imposing upon the purifying tower additional work and utilizing refining material upon .fractions which are not recovered as end point products. By limiting the materials within a relatively narrow range, and eliminating fractions outside of this range, more eflicient operation can be effected involving economies in the usel of the treating substance.

Condensates separated out in the tower are withdrawn through the line 43 and returned by' means of e pump 58 and line 59 to the accumulator tank 49.

I claim as my invention: v

1. A process for producing light hydrocarbons. comprising the steps of cracking the oils by heat 50 and pressure, dephlegmating the vapors', passing the dephlegmated vapors to a purifying stage and limting the hydrocarbon fractions passed to the purifying stage to those fractions having a range of boiling point Atemperatures and an 55 end point temperature substantially within vthe range of the boiling point temperatures of the desired final product recovered by withdrawing a portion of the vapors passing from the dephlegmating to the purifying stage, condensing 60 the portion so withdrawn, and contacting the condensate with the vapors being dephlegmated.`

, 2. An apparatus for producing light hydrocarbons comprising a vaporizer, a dephlegmator connected with the vaporizer, a purifier in fluid como5 munication with the dephlegmator and adapted to receive vapors therefrom, means interposed between the dephlegmator and purifier to divert and condense a portion of the vaporsand means for returning-condensate thereby obtained tothe 7b dephlegmator.

3. An apparatus for producing light hydrocarbons comprising a dephlegmator for oil vapors. 1 a purifier, means to direct vapors from the dephlegmator through the purifier, means inter- 75 posed between the purier and' dephlegmator to divert and condense a portion of the vapors from the dephlegmator, means to direct the condensate to the dephlegmator and thermostatic means adapted to regulate the quantity of condensate introduced to the dephlegmator.

4. A process of producing light hydrocarbons comprising cracking oil, passing oil vapors to a dephlegmating stage, passing `dephlegmated vapors to a purifying stage, withdrawing and condensing vapors from the purifying stage, diverting a portion of the vapors from the dephlegmator through an intermediate condensing stage and admitting a regulated quantity of the condensate from the intermediate stage to the dephlegmator to control the character of the vapors emitted therefrom.

5. The process of separating cracked hydrocarbons of different boiling points containing a mixture of cracked hydrocarbon vapors including naphtha which it is desired to separate and of economically purifying the desired naphtha. which comprises subjecting said hydrocarbons to reux condensation at the temperature required to effect condensation of higher-boiling hydrocarbons and to separate as vapors approximately the desired naphtha hydrocarbons, dividing the said separated naphtha vapors leaving the locus of reflux condensation into two vapor streams of like constituents, purifying the vapors of only one stream, separately condensing the purified vapors comprising one stream and the unpuried vapors comprising the other stream, and returning the unpuried condensate to the locus of reilux condensation and thereat utilizing the same as reux in the reflux condensation of the mixture of hydrocarbon vapors.

6. A process for producing light hydrocarbons which comprises dephlegmating oil vapors including said hydrocarbons, subjecting the vapors to a-purifying step and condensing the dephlegmated and purified vapors, diverting and condensing a portion of the dephlegmate'd vapors previous to such purification step and returning a mixture of the unpurifed condensate thereby obtained and liquid formed during-the purification step'for contact with the vapors being"de phlegmated. A

7. The process of treating hydrocarbons to recover therefrom gasoline hydrocarbons in rened form, which comprises distilling hydrocarbon oil and dephlegmating the resultant vapors to condense and separate constituents boiling above the desired gasoline boiling-point range, removing vapors from the dephlegmation zone, diverting and condensing a portion of said vapors and returning the condensate thereby obtained' to the dephlegmation zone as a reflux, passing the re maining portion of the vapors to a purifying zone wherein it is subjected to contact essentially in the vapor phase with a solid purifying material,

and thereafter condensing the desired treated gasoline hydrocarbons.

8. The process of separating cracked hydrocarbons of different boiling points containing a mixture of cracked hydrocarbon vapors including naphtha which it is desired to separate and of' said separated naphtha vapors leaving the locus of reflux condensation into two vapor streams of like constituents, purifying the vapors of only one stream by subjectingA said vapors to contact with a. solid adsorbent catalytic material capable of promoting 'polymerization of undesired gumforming constituents,l separately condensing the 5 pui-ined vapors' comprising one stream and the 'unpuriied vapors comprising the other stream,

and dephlegmating the resultant vapors to condense and separate constituents boiling above the desired gasoline boiling-point range, removing vapors from the dephlegmation zone, diverting and condensing a portion of said vapors and returning the condensate thereby obtained to the dephlegmation zone as a reflux, passing the remaining portion of the vapors to a purifying zone wherein it is subjected to contact essentially in the vapor phase with a solid purifying material, condensing some vapors in the purifying zone, returning these vapors .to the dephlegmating zone, and thereafter condensing the. desired treated gasoline hydrocarbons from the vapors uncondensed in the ypurifying-zone.'

10. The process of -recovering refined gasoline hydrocarbons from4 mixed hydrocarbon vapors resulting from the distillation or cracking of hydrocarbonl oil, which comprises passing such vapors through a dephlegmating zone wherein constituents boiling above the desired gasoline 35 boiling-point range are condensed and separated, removing vapors from thedephlegmating zone, diverting and condensing a portion of said vapors and returning the liquid condensate thereby obtained to contact with the vapors 40 passing through said dephlegmating zone as a reflux for said vapors, passing a further portion of the vapors to a purifying zone wherein it is different boiling points `containing a mixture of hydrocarbon vapors including low boiling hydrocarbons which it is desired to'separate and o f economically purifying the low boiling product desired, which comprises subjecting said hydrocarbons to reflux condensation at the temperaturel required vto effect condensation of higher boiling hydrocarbons and separate as vapors approximately the desired lower boiling hydrocarbons, removing from the locus of redux condensation said separated low boiling vapors in two vapor streams of like constituents, purifying the vapors of only one stream. separately con- F, densing the purified vapors comprising` one stream and the unpurifled vapors comprising the other stream, and returning the unpurifled condensate to the locus of reflux condensation and thereat utilizinglthe same asl the primary reu fiuxing liquid in the reilux condensation of the mixture of hydrocarbon vapors.

12. The process of separating hydrocarbons of dierent boiling points containing a mixture of hydrocarbon vapors including low boiling hydrocarbons which itl is desired to. separate and of economically purifying the low boiling product desired, which comprises subjecting said hydrocarbons to refiuxcondensation at the temperature required to eilect condensation or higher boiling hydrocarbons andA separate as vapors approximately the desiredflower boiling hydrocarbons, removing from the locus of reux condensation said separated low boiling vapors in two vapor streams of like constituents. purifying aomseo GUY N. HARCOURT. 

